North Shore, Oahu | Party of Five

Adventuring on the North shore of Hawaii with this amazing family.

I luck out every now and then and we get to meet military families in one home and reconnect in another. This shoot was extra special because not only did we reconnect BUT, I was also able to photograph a friends family as they visited Hawaii and it was everything I always hope family sessions are.

When you have littles … life can be chaos

The secret is…its my absolute favorite kind. There’s nothing quite like the giddiness and silliness of these tiny little humans.

I joke that its like herding cats, but in the best possible way. Kids generally like to be silly and have fun. Adventure and explore. When we place these big expectations on them to sit still and smile, when the whole world around them is full of so much that wants to be inspected … its a loosing battle. So we go with it. We move at the pace of the littlest person, taking their lead in what happens next. And you know what? The images we end up with reflect YOUR family. I get told time and time again that clients who find me are looking for those organic images. They appreciate how each session looks unique and that’s because each FAMILY is unique and I do my best to capture that.

Insider tip: Roll with it. Let go of expectations when it comes to your kids performing. If they’re moody, snuggle them. If they’re angry, snuggle them. If they’re sad…you get it. Nobody can hear a cry through a photo especially when they’re in a warm embrace.

BUT, if they’re a ball of energy, GO WITH IT! Run and play chase, pick them up and twirl them around. Hold beach races, search for the perfect pebbles and draw in the sand. They’re going to get messy and that’s the beauty of it: kids ARE messy. They’re supposed to have dirt on their face, it shows they’re growing and exploring and learning.

And at the end of it, I hope your family walks away with memories and laughter. I hope your children are smiling authentically because of how much fun we had. I hope the chill of the wet clothes is easily forgotten with a towel and snacks and as we walk back to the cars it felt like just another day at the beach … with coordinating outfits and possibly hair and makeup as an added bonus!

Life is a wonderfully unpredictable thing. Take a breathe. Breathe it out.

Take the time to take the pictures, I haven’t met a family yet that regretted being in the moment and enjoying the time together while taking them